Bite Cafe

Bite Café is a cute spot in Ukrainian Village that serves three meals a day, but it’s the brunch that I mostly care about. I’ve been here twice: once for dinner and once for brunch. I got a couple of beef brisket tacos for dinner the first time I came here. The flavors were good but the brisket was way too oily to the point where the tortillas had been saturated with oil by the time it was served to me so I had to eat the tacos with a fork and knife. I was hesitant to go back but decided to try it again for brunch. I walked in with two other people on a Saturday at noon, and the hostess said that the wait would be about 30 – 45 minutes. The actual wait ended up being about an hour and 20 minutes, but we had gotten coffees at the nearby Empty Bottle, so we weren’t quite as grumpy. There were some interesting selections from the menu, but I ended up getting my usual: Eggs Benedict. The portion was huge, and the eggs were cooked perfectly. We also got some biscuits and jam to share, which were equally delicious. The best part was how cheap everything was given the quality of the food. If you come here for brunch, try calling ahead to get a time estimate but don’t be surprised if the wait is much longer. It’s worth it though!

Just went the other day and gotta say, I will definitely be back.
I was hoping to get the Skate Wing (saw it on the menu online) but they change things up and didn’t have it when I came in. Oh well, guess I’ll have to come back.
For starters, the place is comfortable and pretty busy, usually a good sign. The servers were really friendly and helpful. I love to ask for recommendations so this is always helpful.
As for the food, everything we tried was really good and reasonably priced. We will definitely be back.

Very yummy food! Love all of the food options and BYOB is definitely a plus! Cozy and hip place; friendly staff! My boyfriend and I had an amazing experience and will definitely return here! :)

Stumbled upon this restaurant a few months back, and a blessing it sure was! I had forgotten to write a review, but better late than never. Absolutely amazing food, and also very good prices. Must admit it was my favorite restaurant in Chicago! Try the ox tail entrée — it’s mouth watering!

Love love love the food here. It does get busy on weekends but if you avoid the rush times you shouldn’t have trouble getting in. They do not take reservations. There’s always good options on the rotating daily specials chalkboard but I am a huge fan as well of the tried-​and-​true regulars on the menu like the burger, salads, and tacos.

Hipster neighborhood bar /​brunch spot in Ukrainian Village — pretty cool, giant space with pool/​arcade room, large back bar and cozy brunch room with counter bar. Pork hash was easily one of the best stick-​to-​your-​ribs brunch dishes I’ve ever had — sweet, satisfying food coma, not the regret-​filled kind. Braised pork shoulder, sunchoke, sweet potatoes, kale, Yukon potatoes, onion, eggs, spicy Hollandaise with a grilled sourdough — just do it.
Be prepared for a wait on weekends, grab a drink at the back bar while you wait (cash-​only).
For someone who nonstop craves red meat, tofu scramble looked actually incredibly tempting Smoked whitefish salad and breakfast poutine on the next visit!

It’s about time that I reviewed this excellent restaurant. Bite really manages to keep a warm and casual vibe while still serving upscale food. I don’t know how they keep their prices so affordable but it’s a great place to stop in for lunch, breakfast or dinner — how many restaurants can say that? get the hangover salad with an extra egg. Peep my photo.

I love the place. Its really cute and the first time l went there l was very satisfied having had a pulled pork breakfast dish. Was fantastic. However the second time l went there the hostess came up with some line about «reservations» it was a Saturday morning and a 2 top was available, l basically called her on it but l was with my Bf and he doesnt like to make a big deal out of stupid silly seating power trips, so we waited until the hostess realize she look stupid (since she did not had a party of 5 coming in and the people sitting next to the empty 2 top were just not going to go anywhere) and sat us. I mean, there was nobody else waiting. Right there and there, it ruin pretty much Saturday brunch at this location. Its like going to someone’s house and getting snub as soon as you walked in. I know she is just a hourly employee, but your job is to «Be a host!» Not the principal of lane tech high school… right?
On to the next visit, l took my GF there for a midweek lunch and had the same dish as last time. Carrots were raw, pork was dry and chewy and l order a shake which tasted it like it was sour or spoiled cream. I honestly took a sip and left at the table.
The waitress came up to me as we were leaving to remind me to take my brand new shake. (I was too embarrased to tell her it was aweful) perhaps is the recipe but it was literally UNdrinkable, what a shame as it was super creamy and had a nice thickness to it. Perhaps they were having Cooler problems? The waitress did mention they make their ice cream in house. Maybe they shouldnt… leave it to Overweiss to do what they do best.
I mean l still have that sour taste in my mouth.
I would like to come back but l wanted to be the day everything is fresh during the week where there is no Nightclub bouncer attitute for a Saturday Morning breakfast 2 blocks away from my house.
(Waitress service has been great every time though)
And again, lovely place but the owner probably was out on vacation. Thats my take.
Sight… 3 times l’ve been there with 3 different people,
Its getting hard to convince them to go there…

My friends and I were looking for a good BYOB option because… drankz. Bite Café fit the bill and I’m glad we had dinner here as the meal was delicious and didn’t break the bank.
They have no corkage fee, yet bring out glasses for your vino and open the bottle which is always a lovely touch. I am a weirdo that brought a giant electronic wine opener… and…we didn’t need it. I wouldn’t call service overly friendly but they took care of business and got the job done professionally.
The food at Bite Café is wonderful with the menu changing often based on seasonal ingredients. My friends and I started with a shared appetizer — the Fresh Cheese, onion compote, Petite Salad and toast for $ 8. We all loved this and gobbled it right down. The cheese was whipped which made for nice and easy slathering onto the toast. Normally I hate onions. With a passion. Like every bit of my being wishes we could decimate all onion buds off this planet. However, I didn’t hate it in jam form served with this dish. Small joys in my life.
For my main entrée I had the Pan Roasted Whitefish ($ 14) which sat atop an acorn squash purée, green beans and a pattypan squash succotash. The fish was cooked well and all of the squash elements were much better than expected. Eating this for dinner gave me good health vibes and the dish satisfied me completely. I tried my friends Slow Cooked Beef Short Rib ($ 15) which was marinated in a bulgoki marinade. Bulgoki is one of my favorite foods in the world so it was interesting for me to have the marinade on another cut of me — I liked it! Like my dish, this had nice seasonal veggie accompaniments. I also had some of my friend’s Grilled Cheese & Tomato Fennel Soup ($ 10) which I loved. I’d die for this! Four types of cheese (Cheddar, Wisconsin Raw Milk, Gruyère, Provolone) melted onto sourdough bread paired perfectly with their version of tomato soup. So many carbs but oh~so~mouthwatering.
I would highly recommend Bite Café as a perfect date spot! It’s an intimate location with great food at even better prices plus it’s BYOB. I would keep groups small here. We were a table of 4 and it was about as big a group as I would be comfortable with in this petite location. They do not take reservations but there seems to be a waiting type area next door with pool tables. My friends said Bite Café’s brunch is also great so I’ll be back for that, no doubt. Loved this restaurant and see myself coming back often!

I have to say. I just didn’t love Bite Café.
I ate there last Thursday night with a friend who raves about it. We decided to share apps and went with the mussels, poutine, and a side of macaroni and cheese. While nothing we ate was bad everything felt like it was missing a little something.
The mussels broth was quite bland. It needed either some salt or a kick to it to make it work. I will say the mussels were quite large but I definitely got a bit of sand in one of mine.
The poutine was fine but it lacked the large cheese curds that I so enjoy in poutine. It was also unexpectedly spicy, I like spice but wasn’t in the mood for spicy poutine that night.
Not much to say about the macaroni and cheese. It was good but I’ve had much better.
Finally, we got the salted chocolate brownie and ice cream for dessert. It was probably the most enjoyable thing we ordered; however, it’s not served hot so don’t be expecting that. I will say the salt definitely came out in the brownie which o loved.
All in all Bite is affordable and has perfectly fine food and a nice ambiance but with so many other choices I won’t be back.

I’m originally from Ohio where the best food available comes from a franchise restaurant. In other words, pretty much all food in the Chicago area is amazing to me. Except the burgers at Bite. It was by a long shot the worst burger I’ve ever had and I survived in college on awful Wal-​Mart Flanders patties for 4 years. And their fall salad tastes like death mixed with cheese and fruit. Cheesy, fruity death salad.

I want to update my review to 5 stars on the establishment and food alone.
Though the stretch of Western this is on is very dicey. Like just ugly and watch out for needles– not joking. A little skid-​row-​ish. There is some dilapidated large factory/​sanitarium looking building across the street which seems to be a place people shoot up in front of or something because there were hypodermic needles on the ground. Be mindful when wearing flip flops! That would sure put a damper on brunching fun.
Anyway back to food.
All of the dishes here are super. Not that I’ve tried them all but I speak confidently in knowing they’re great based on the few dishes I’ve had here myself.
Good place, they don’t rush you out the door and there are creative and tasty dishes on the menu. They should relocate to Logan Square or a nicer area where they can have a patio setting and give Longman a run for their money. Just my two cents.

Every time I come to Bite Café, I chide myself for not eating here more often. Though I’ve only been for brunch, the several times I’ve had it, have all been great. Luckily all of the brunches have been on random midweek days off so have never had to wait for a table.
On my most recent visit, I dined with my mom. She had the French toast while I ordered a hash special and then we split halfway. Everything was so good and quite filling. Portion sizes are quite large. It’s really the perfect place for breakfast on a cold morning as you’ll leave full, warm, and ready for a nap.
The restaurant is small and cozy with a friendly staff. I’ve always been able to find street parking within a block. Looking forward to coming back again, possibly for a BYOB dinner!

People are likely to miss this tiny café which happens to be directly adjacent to one of the best bars in Ukranian Village, but don’t let the size of the place fool you. For a small café, it has a lot of charm, a surprisingly big and diverse menu and it’s a great place to go without any of the noise and craziness of other breakfast places.
If you’re a fan of corn beef hash for breakfast/​brunch, next time try something different. The PORK HASH at Bite is some of the best braised pork shoulder I’ve ever had in the city. Be sure to also try the beignets (if they’re serving that day) on your way out which are a nice touch. I don’t know too many places in Chicago that serve these miniature bites of awesomeness.

Definitely a decent spot to have some brunch. A friend and I came here and the menu was large, vegetarian-​friendly and included a lot of different combinations of flavors. Though I’m not a vegetarian, I really enjoy a lot of meatless meals, especially when they involve plays on various Benedicts.
The breakfast tacos were delish and available in various styles. Since they’re priced individually, you can order as many or as few as you’d like. I enjoyed a veggie Benedict — the eggs were cooked well, the sauce was yummy and the presentation was nice.
Only two downsides to this place:
It’s small, so there’s usually a wait if you arrive after 10 a.m. Also, since it’s so small, if you sit near the door and it is at all chilly (or God forbid, cold) you will be blown with cold air almost constantly since no one respects the «shut the outer door before opening the inner door» rule.
There’s no breakfast cocktails. Lame.

The food here is decent and priced decently, but I’m not planning to go back due to the service. I’ve been twice, and both times the hosts and servers were unwelcoming and aloof. They give the impression that they’re doing you a favor by taking your name for the wait list, sitting you, and serving you. The server also didn’t check back often on my second visit, leaving lots of empty water glasses at our table. I’m no longer willing to pay to be begrudgingly tolerated at their restaurant.

The Bite Café is a tiny spot just south of Division on Western Ave. It’s connected to a large game room and a bar. There was no wait this morning so I did not get a chance to use either of those rooms, though I will say the wall of baby heads is quite creepy. Thankfully that’s not in the restaurant.
Went for brunch this morning and wound up sharing a starter of the White Chocolate Pecan Bread along with the Pork Hash (which was recommended many times here on Unilocal). Of the two, the Pecan Bread was the star. Warm, cakey, with a ton of flavor — I could have just ordered a few of these and been content. It’s not like the Pork Hash was bad — it was tasty but it had a ton of Hollandaise Sauce (I’d ask for light next time) and the potatoes were solid but nothing spectacular. But the pork was very tasty, the potatoes did soak up the poached eggs, and kale was a nice alternative to spinach. I would probably try a different item next time as the menu is quite diverse with a ton of good looking options.

I like the casual but classy atmosphere here a lot. Service was excellent. Food was delicious and eclectic — I especially appreciated BYOB with no corkage fee and the seafood options. Dessert waffle was a bit crispy and oily but I liked it that way with some acidity in the sauce and creamy ice cream on top. Lovely place for dinner for two.

This place is insanely consistent. I went today and had their house cured pork belly sandwich with eggs, cheese and Sriracha aioli — it was absolutely delicious. It came with a side of their homemade hash brown and it was truly the best hash brown I had ever had in my life. This place is awesome. My server was the sweetest as well. Keep killing it Bite, I am entirely won over. Yes!

Cool joint to hang and get some really good, affordable grub at practically anytime. Had the burger (threw on an egg) as well as one of the special squash salads… A perfect Saturday afternoon meal. What a great option of catching a show at Empty Bottle next door (connected). Cool casual vibe…

Based on my dinner experience here, this is a decent place. Now, I did see awesome tempting food photos on their Unilocal page, but most of them were breakfast items. Very curious to try them.
For a Tuesday night, the place was packed and they asked us to wait at a cool arcade gaming room next door. Played some oldschool pinball and street fighter while waiting.
Tuesday night, is their «steak night». My friend Felt lucky to be able to order their last steak for the night, and see them crossing of their specials board after. LOL
I ordered their Burger w melted cheddar cheese and fries (medium well), and I liked it. Fries were great too. Another friend with us ordered tofu tacos and did not like it. She said they were missing any flavor and were bland.
Overall, I liked the place and really want to go back there to try out their breakfast menu.

I love everything about this place… the small cozy atmosphere inside, the super friendly staff, great art on the walls, the great selection/​variety of food on their menu, great cuppa coffee, their fantastic biscuit is a must try… and my classic breakfast of eggs bacon and potatoes was hearty and delish!
Unfortunately they were out of «mashbrowns» so the substituted potatoes (which were delicious) but I’m curious to know what the mash was all about. Next time I visit family in Chicago I’ll be sure to stop by again as there were many things I would like to try on their menu. Bite is a great place to stop by for a flavorful brunch in a hip little area of town.

Pimento cheese eggs benedict was so delicious! (Didn’t taste cheesy…) It had a pickled tomato with it that really made the dish. The potato mash up was also tasty. The bacon poutine was good, but I guess I’m a traditionalist with the Canadian dish. Coffee was strong.
Love the natural lighting and exposed bricks and slightly gritty vibe… reminds me of Europe. The place was half full/​empty around 8 a.m. on Sunday. Many tattoos but definitely a mix of (white) people. One of my new favorite places!

Delicious, filling food, no frills and a Bloody Mary that wasn’t terrible. Could have been excellent with some celery and olives.
I agree with some of the others that say the waitstaff is a little bit on the chilly side, but that didn’t really bother me.

There’s barely service here, our waiter/​hostess had no emotions. The food was good, I recommend the hangover salad but it’s not very filling so you may want to get a side. We also got the beets salad, which was okay but was definitely not filling. Overall, a cute small restaurant.

My boyfriend and I come here often! This past particular weekend, Saturday, we came in for Brunch. From our experience this place is always packed in the morning, afternoon. We waited at least 20 minutes to be seated, it’s never a problem because we know that it’s always worth the wait! The bar next door is a bonus while you’re waiting, this weekend I was able to relive my childhood and played Street Fighter the arcade to pass the time and it was great! The atmosphere is really nice and welcoming! It is a little cramped but it’s never really an issue if you enjoy a nicely packed crowd of people from all walks of life! I will say that it can get a little loud, I find that characteristic to be apart of the experience and don’t mind it at all!
The staff is great, they are always very welcoming! This recent visit our waitress was very open to making suggestions, quick little chats like that definitely warm up the experience. The staff is very attentive, our glasses were always kept full. The staff definitely help to maintain the positive atmosphere and it’s not going unnoticed by me and my boyfriend. it really makes a difference!
For starters, my boyfriend and I split the Tomato Soup! I have to say that it was pretty amazing, I kind of wish we ordered the meal that would have had the added bonus of the Grilled Cheese! That would have hit the spot! I should mention that the portion size of the soup was more than enough for the two of us to share!
I should mention that I am a Vegetarian and that I am very pleased with the menu! I’ve been fortunate enough to develop my taste for their menu and have my favorites. This particular Brunch I had the Veggie Burger with a Sunny Side Up Egg and Fries! As usual I was very pleased! I was a mess, my fingers and face were covered with sauce, that’s when you know it’s good! The portions are pretty big, I always leave stuffed! I was only able to eat half of my Veggie Burger and Fries and best believe I ate the other half an hour or two later!
My boyfriend is a meat eater, he usually orders the breakfast dishes but this particular weekend he ordered the Burger and Fries. He definitely enjoyed it, the minute he picked up his burger it never went back on the plate! He ordered his burger Medium Well and expressed that the cook got it spot on! Bite’s Burgers definitely fill you up, my boyfriend was stuffed after finishing his and he barely dented his French Fries, Bonus for me!
I am always recommending Bite Café to my Family & Friends.
Obviously, I will be back! I have yet to experience the dinner hour!

This is a pretty good place to go to before seeing a show at the Empty Bottle, but it will get busy. It’s also BYOB, which means you can pregame before a show here as well, if you’re so inclined.
Nothing on the menu is really to my liking, but I’ve had the grilled cheese and tomato soup a few times and it has been good enough.
The service has been alright every time I’ve gone.
I went here before a concert the other day and I’m pretty sure the tomato soup made me ill.
That won’t stop me from going here again, because it’s pretty convenient.

I’ve been wanting to try the food here for quite some time. I met my friend for brunch to celebrate her birthday. I see the other reviews raving about the food, but noting that sometimes the staff is not very friendly. The girl who greeted me when I walked in was kind of rude and blunt, but our server Christine was lovely. She made great recommendations on the food and it was hard to make a decision because everything truly sounded delicious.
I went with her suggestion on the Pork Hash, which was made with juicy and tender Braised Pork Shoulder, Yukon Potatoes, Onions, Tuscan Kale, Cherry Tomato, Corn, Eggs, and Spicy Hollandaise. AMAZING. It was a plentiful portion, and I even took some home to enjoy later. The specials they have listed on the chalkboard all sounded pretty fun and delicious. I tried the Orange/​Coconut Bread for a sweet treat, and it did not disappoint!
My friend ordered the House Cured Crispy Pork Belly with Egg and Cheese, Sriracha Aioli and Cheddar Cheese served on an English Muffin. she loved that as well!
It’s a cute little spot on the inside. They have beautiful artwork hanging all over the walls. Props to the artists!
Christine was super quick with the refills on coffee and beverages and just a friendly gal in general. I’ll definitely be back to try more delicious dishes.

This is such a cute restaurant with very reasonable prices. It’s quaint and charming. We ordered the escargot pasta and the beef cheeks. I would skip the latter since the flavors are so familiar but the pasta had great flavor. We also got the Belgian waffle with goat cheese ice cream. For $ 6, now THAT was worth it. It was really crunchy (probably deep fried) but the ice cream was delicious. Probably the best goat cheese ice cream I’ve had in a while.
I also just enjoy the vibe of this play. It’s charming and laid back and there’s a lot of space for diners. Would come back again!

I saw this place featured on Chicago’s Best and the food looked delicious. We went around noon on a Sunday and were told it would be a half hour wait. The restaurant is quite small so they have you wait next door… it’s not the fancy of places, but at least you’re not stuck waiting outside. We were seated in exactly half hour from the time we put our names down.
Our waitress was pleasant and my friend and I decided to go the lunch route. I got the veggie burger and my friend got the turkey arugula sandwich. Both of us were disappointed. Maybe it had something to do with the wait versus what the food tasted like. My veggie burger was bland. I was sort of hoping the red sauce on it would be spicy, but it really didn’t have a taste. The fries were also quite boring and not seasoned well. I still have high hopes for this place though because after I ordered I sort of knew I should have went the breakfast route. If I do go back I will definitely try the French toast!

Going for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings in Chicago can be rather discouraging. Many breakfast spots have long lines outside and crowded waiting areas inside. So, you end up preparing your own breakfast at home. And then you stumble upon Bite Café.
It could be that I got there as soon as they opened for business because the restaurant did start to fill up later, but not such that patrons had to wait outside for a seat. This was a huge plus.
I had the challah bread French toast, mashedbrown, and eggs scrambled well with gruyère cheese. The French toast was so blooming good that it didn’t require any more syrup than the maple syrup drizzle that came on it. The hazelnut butter and banana anglaise gave flavour without making the toast excessively sweet. The mashedbrown was a potato cake that I’d buy in bulk and eat in the mornings for a breakfast snack. And since I was able to get gruyère in my eggs rather than American, jack, or cheddar cheese, I was in love.
So, it seems that Bite Café also has lunch and dinner menus. I shall have to return to check out those offerings. The breakfast set was definitely good enough to have me return in the mornings, for sure.